6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed
I started all sorts of seeds using this method; mainly the older seeds in which the germination level had been rather low. This method was very effective.
Seeds such as:
Lacinto Kale, Lavender, Zinnias, Lunar white carrots, Heirloom sunflower seeds etc
You can either trim the plug trays to fin into a 1020 or you can set the plug tray on the mat without a 1020 as long as you use some sort of 1/4 to 1/2" spacer so there is no direct contact. Small shims of wood work, plastic coat hangers, etc. It is easiest to just trim the plug trays to fit a 1020 before planting them or you can buy flats that fit them but they aren't inexpensive.
Dave
Well you can but as a professional grower I will say that the quality of the plants won't be as good. Not necessarily "too leggy" but more leggy. It is the act of transplanting that triggers the development of fibrous feeder roots in the plants. And transplanting them deeper eliminates any leggy development.
But some do it the way you suggest and get away with it. If you don't fill the cell packs more than 1/3 way when seeding then fill it more as the plant grows so that the stem is buried each time you can eliminate the leggy appearance. Won't do anything for the root development though. Your choice.
Dave
Perfect.
I knew better (thanks to info on here) to do tomatoes with peppers but when I was dividing my Patio Princess and my BushSteak tomatoes, I used a spoon to scoop them out and, inadvertently, had to deal with tangled roots...
Again, thank you.
I will have to wait and see what becomes of what I did! LOL!
I don't use heat mats at all, but use just a 60 watt light bulb under my seed trays. (I built a germination cabinet from a standard resin utility cabinet.) that generates enough heat for germination. If your basement is really cold you might need to use a 75 or even 100 watt bulb.
I agree about the self watering "mat" systems, however it definitely keeps the seedlings from dying from forgetting to water or being away for a weekend. I also added a fan on a timer to turn on several times a day to get air circulating and help give the seedlings stronger stems. After germination I mix a weak solution of miracle grow and add that to the watering tray, because potting soil has no nutrients, However I did but Miracle grow SEEDING soil this year and the plants seem ahead of schedule. It is still too cold in Connecticut to even think of putting them outdoors.
This is for transplanting to their final growing place or are you talking about just potting-ip to a bigger container?
Adding Tomato Tone in small amounts to small seedling pots won't hurt anything but the long time required for it, or any solid/granular fertilizer, to benefit the plant makes well diluted liquids muh more effective.
Also keep in mind that dry granular "organics" when used in containers are of limited if any benefit as there is no active soil food web, no bacterial colonies present (as there is in the ground soil) to break them down to a form usable by the plants. Organic liquids have the added benefit of being in usable form already.
Dave
I would just be potting them up to a 3"-4" pot from what I had them germinating in.
Also, after I thought about it for a little bit, I would think there would be enough food (fertilizer) in the potting soil - enough to get them to the point of getting them in ground???
This is the first time I've grown from seed... And, it's... Fricken awesome!!!
Thank you Dave! I appreciate what you've written in past posts that I have read.
I want to "pretty up" the area but know the deer will probably feast on all of them like they have my tulips last spring. The soil is pretty moist and gets partial sun/shade. More shade then sun. I just am looking for something to grow from seed that will look nice and not have eaten away. I might buy a bunch of seeds as you mentioned and plant and fingers cross.
Worth a try using wintersowing as that may be what tricks the seeds as i have read that it can reseed itself now and then if the conditions are ideal.
Personally I have never had any luck growing it from seeds in the greenhouse but that is a totally different environment. Note that "sterile seed" doesn't mean it is impossible, just that the odds are slim. :)
Let us know if it works.
Dave
Wow thank you both for this information! :) No wonder lily of the valley usually seem to be started from pips.
As I live in zone 5, I can probably naturally simulate the cold and cool periods by placing the sweet violets and lily of the valley outside. (And before anyone says it, I know sweet violets are considered hardy to zone 6, but I must be in a borderline area as they've grown on my parent's property before :P )
Thanks again! :)
<For some reason, I thought they could go in quite a bit earlier than tomatoes, etc.>
That is correct but then we don't know your location so have no idea when you would normally plant your tomatoes. :) Here my peas are planted a month before I could plant any tomatoes. But that wouldn't be true for everyone.
Peas do need a cool start. They are an early spring crop. Tomatoes are not.
If you learn to measure and monitor your soil temps - since that is what counts -then you can always insure that crops are planted at the correct time.
Dave
I need to learn how to measure soil temp apparently. I have good results with the rest of my garden. I live in southeastern Washington St. People always try to plant too early in my eyes and fight the cold and wind. I wait till May 15 for tomatoes and cukes.............other stuff, carrot seed, onions, radish seeds, beets, etc I get going earlier with no problem.......however they are in raised beds and my peas are not.
Thanks, RHonda
So I have an update and I'm looking for some more guidance. The seedlings pictured here ended up dying.
However, I had some more "on deck" so I decided to test the over watering theory. I tested two separate six packs of Red Russian Kale, which seemed to be the first to have trouble last time. I watered one what at what I would consider my normal intervals, every 3-4 days when relatively dry. The other six pack though, I stretched a couple days longer, only watering when I pulled out my test cell and the soil was completely dry all the way through.
Unfortunately they both got "sick" at relatively the same time and progressed just like the last batch. However this time I noticed that the trouble starts with wet looking dark spots on some of the leaves, which makes me think bacteria. Because the Red Russian Kale seems to be the first to have problems, is it possible those seeds are contaminated somehow. Seems to be only brassicas that are having issues.
Any advice would be very helpful!
Andy - given this new info then my best guess would be some sort of fungal disease issue. But the symptoms just don't look like any of the common ones. More likely than the seeds being contaminated (which is usually viral) I'd look into the environment, the containers, the soil used, tools, surrounding things that might come into contact, even the air circulation (ie: other diseased plants in the area). It is rare indoors but possible given the right conditions for the spores to grow (moist, warm, low levels of air circulation).
Why I say fungal is that most of the common bacterial diseases don't actually kill the plants, fungal issues do kill. So what sort of ambient temps are you running in the area? Can you make it cooler? Do you have fans running to increase the air circulation and help dry things out? If not can you?
The saving grace is that all of these things can be direct seeded when the time is right for your location and they usually do much better than when grown as transplants.
Dave
What is your climate? It is possible you could put those seedlings straight out into the garden now (once hardened off, of course).
I always winter sow my kale. Easy peasy! They grow much better that way. Check the winter sowing forums for more info on how to do it.